Table construction



W. TODD TABLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 29,

Aug. 22. 1933.

Patented Aug. 22, 1933 UNITED srArEs' PATENT OFFICE TABLE CONSTRUCTIONWilliam Todd, Lcominster, Mass. Application February 29, 1932. SerialNo. 595,904 llClaims. (01. 45-116) The present invention relatesgenerally to ta? bles. I

The object of this invention is the provision of an article of furniturewhich is self-contined and may be converted to provide a stand having atop surface ofsmall area, such as is commonly found in so-called stands,or to provide a top surface of large area to serve the purposes of atable.

6 Another object of the invention is the provision of a structure of theabove stated character which is novel, lending itself to a plurality ofuseful purposes, simple in construction and relatively economical tomanufacture.

5 With the above and other objects in view, some of which are stated andother obvious, the inven tion resides in sundry details of construction,combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described and pointedout in the appended claims. I

In drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of table construct:

ed in accordance with the present invention and in extended position;

row; i

Figure 3 is a sectional fragmentary view similar to Figure 1 with thetop in its non-extended position; if

Figure 1 is an enlarged fragmentarysectional view similar to Figure 1but showing in detail the cooperating parts;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Figure4; anda Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantiall on line 6-6 ofFigure 4.

Referring in detail to the drawing, S denotes a supporting structure fora table top T. The supporting structure S may be of any desirable shapeor construction which will serve its purpose, as for instance, itmaycomprise legsor a pedestal or merely horizontal supporting rails. In anyevent the supporting structure should include a pair of spaced,horizontal, sills 10.. For the purpose of the present disclosurethesills 10 are connected at their respective ends to uprights 11, whichare shown in the-form of side walls supported on basesl2 of such shapeor configuration to perform an ornamental pedestal.

The table top T of the present invention is composed of two sections, aand b. Each top section is L-shaped, comprising an extension 13 ofrelatively greater area than, the right angle Figure 2 is an end view ofthe table shown in Figure 1 and looking in the direction of thearextension 14 thereof. The dimensions of the extensions 13 and 14 maybe such as to suit the needs or desires for any given case and toconform with the proportionate dimensions of the particular article offurniture. As shown in Fig- 0 ure 3, the extensions 1-1 are of suchlength as their combined length will be at least that of the distancebetween the two sills 10 and may be slightly longer to provide anextending ledge protruding slightly beyond the sil1;or it may be 5 ofany other suitable dimensions.

' These table top sections a and b are designed to cooperate to formhalves of the table top area and are so'mounted on the supportingstructure S that the extension 13 thereof may be moved to a verticalposition, as shown in Figure 3, to lie side by side between the sills18, thereby bringing the extensions 14 in cooperating, horizontalposition and resting upon the sills 10 to form a table top, shelf or thelike of smaller area.

To this end and for the purposes of the present disclosure, each of thesections a and b is provided with a pair of laterallyprojecting studs ortrunnions 15 adjacent to the free ends of the extensions 13 thereof.These trunnions are mounted in guideways 16 provided for each of saidtrunnions. Each of the guideways is sub stantially L-shaped, having ahorizontal portion 0 and a vertical portion at extending downwardly fromthe horizontal portion at a medial point bev tween the silis 10. In thestructure shown, where the pedestal is of the Width of the table top,these guideways are preferably formed by grooving the side walls 11 andfacingthe edges thereof with Wear strips 17, which may be of metal orother 90. suitable material, secured in piace by screws 17" or any otherdesirable manner; and the trunnions may laterally project from the sidewall of the extensions 13. 7

Thus it will be observed that the guideways 16 for both top sections aand b are in substantially T-shape on each side wall 11 of the pedestalsS.

With the parts of the table in the position shown in Figure 3, should itbe desired to increase the top area of the table, it is only necessaryto lift the sections a and b verticaliy, causing the trunnions 15 toslide upwardly in the portions d of their respective guideways l6 and,when they have reached their uppermost position, to pivot the table topsection so that it will 1 move to a substantially horizontal position;then draw the table top horizontally so that the trunnions 15 thereofwill travel in the horizontal portion 0 of its guideways. When bothsections have been moved to this position they ments of the user.

may then be slid toward each other to bring the free end a: of theextensions 13 in abutting relation. These free end portions may beinterlocked in any suitable manner, such as by male and femaleinterengaging parts 18, commonly used in table leaves. The top sectionsa and b will be maintained in position by reason of the extensions 13thereof resting on the sills 10 and their respective trunnions 13engaging the walls of the horizontal portions 0 of the guideways and theinterengagement of the parts l8.

To further insure the stability of the table top, when the parts havebeen moved to the positions last referred to, lock members are providedon the under side'of these extensions 13 adjacent to their free endswhich will cooperate with a member provided on the supporting pedestalS. This is accomplished by providing on itsunderside of each extension13, preferably at the side edge of its inner end portions a dependingflange 19 having a horizontally extending V-shaped notch 20 therein tocooperate with an inwardly projecting stud 21 which will engage in saidnotch, when the extensions 13 are slid inwardly toward each other andafter having been lowered or swung to a horizontal position. When thestuds are in the crotches of the notches, the inward movement of thesections is limited and the sections firmly held in position. The studsare preferably formed with base plates 22 having openings thereinthrough which screws or other fastening means may extend.

Now with the parts in the position shown in Figures 3 and 4 of thedrawing, should it be desired to have the table top of smaller area, asshown in Figure 3, one of the sections a or b will be separatedfrom theother by sliding it outwardly, while in a horizontal position, so as todisengage the interengaging members 18 and to bring the cleat member 19into a position disengaging its stud; then said table top section may beswung upwardlyto a substantially vertical position and then moved againinwardly to cause the trunnions thereof to move in the horizontalportions 0 of its guideways toward the vertical portion thereof. Whenthe trunnions have reached the vertical portion :1 of its guideways, thetable section will descend with the extensions 13 thereof ina verticalposition and the 1 extension 14 resting upon theradjacent sill 10.

Then the other table top'section a or b may be similarly operatedbringing the partsinto the position shown in Figure 3.

The present invention lends itself to various designs or shapes to meetthe desires or require- In the construction shown in the drawing, thepedestal or supporting structure Smay be provided with a plurality ofshelves 23 on opposite sides of the vertical guideways (1, said shelvesbeing useful for any desirable purpose, such assupport of books,magazines, brica-brac or the like.

While the present invention has been shown as applicable to individualtables it is susceptible of being incorporated in other furniturestructures, such as counters, display tables, and the like; and it isalso within the purview of the present invention to have the table topconsist of one or two sections a and b as may be desired.

In the specification and the annexed drawing, the invention is disclosedinthe'form in which it is considered to be the best, but the inventionis not limited to such form because it iscapable of being embodied inother forms; and it is to be i understood that in and by the claimsfollowing the description herein it is intended to cover the inventionin whatever form it may be embodiedwithin the scope thereof.

Having thus described the invention and the manner in which it is to beperformed, what is claimed as new and upon which patent is desired is:

1. In a table or like structure, a main table top including twosections, each having at one end thereof a lateral extending portion,supporting structure for said table top, and means between said tabletop and said support permitting said sections to be moved, independentlyof the other, to a vertical position within the supporting means withsaid lateral extending portions thereof in a horizontal plane forming atable top of different dimensions but in substantially the same planepreviously occupied by the main table top.

2. In a table or like structure, a main table top comprising twocomplemental sections, each having at its outer end'a downwardlyextending projection, supporting structure for said table top, andpivotal and slidable connecting means between each table top section andsaid support per mitting said sections to be moved, independently, to avertical side by side position within thesupporting means with saiddownwardly extending projections thereof in a horizontal plane forming atable top of different dimensions but in substantially the same planepreviously occupied by the said main table top. I

3. In a table and like structure, thetable top and the supporting meanstherefor, said top including two complemental sections lying in the samehorizontal plane and contiguous with respect to each other, andtrunnions on each of said sections and mounted in guideways on saidsupporting means, said sections being pivotal on said trunnions to aside by side vertical position, and said guideways comprising a verticalportion having oppositely extending lateral portions at its upper end topermit horizontal sliding movement of the sections and the verticallypositioned sections to move downwardly within said supporting means. I

4. In a table and'like structure, the table top and the supporting meanstherefor, said top in- "cluding two complemental sections lying in thesame horizontal plane and contiguous with respect to each other, lateralextending portions on a the outer end of said sections, trunnions oneach of said sections near their inner ends and mount ed in guideways onsaid supporting means, said sections being pivotal on said trunnions toa side by side vertical position, said guideways having said trunnionsslidably mounted therein and each comprising a parallel vertical portionhaving an outwardly extending; lateral portion at its upper endforpermitting horizontal sliding movement of the sections and thevertically positioned I sections to move downwardly within saidsupporting means, whereby said laterally extending portions on saidsection will be brought into a horizontal plane and contiguous to eachother.

5. In a table and like structure, the table top able members for lockingsaid sections against pivotal movement, when in a horizontal position.

6. In a table or like structure, a table top and the supporting meanstherefor, said supporting means including a pair of spaced sills uponwhich said table top rests, said table top including two sections havingtheir abutting edges disposed be tween the sills, trunnions mounted onthe side edges of each of said top sections adjacentto abutting edgesthereof, guideways for the trunnions of each of said sections, eachguideway comprising a substantially inverted L-shaped groove, one arm ofeach groove extending vertically and the other arm thereof extendingsub: stantially horizontally from said vertical portion toward the sillupon which its respective section rests, whereby the top sections may bepivoted on said trunnions to a vertical position and moved to a side byside position within said supporting means.

'7. In a table or like structure, a table top and the supporting meanstherefor, said supporting means including a pair of spaced sills uponwhich said table top rests, said table top including two sections havingtheir inner edges abutting and disposed between the sills, and havingdownwardly projecting portions on their outer edges, trunnions mountedon the side edges of each of said top sections adjacent to abuttingedges thereof, guideways for the trunnions of each of said sections,each guideway including a substantially inverted L-shaped groove, onearm of each groove extending vertically and the other arm thereofextending horizontally from said vertical portion toward the sill uponwhich its respective section rests, whereby the top sections may bepivoted on said trunnions to a vertical position and moved to a side byside position within said supporting means with said downwardlyprojecting portions brought into the same horizontal plane and restingon said sills respectively.

8. In a table or like structure, a table top and the supporting meanstherefor, said supporting means including a pair of spaced sills uponwhich said table top rests, said table top including two sections havingtheir abutting edges disposed between the sills, trunnions mounted onthe side edges of each of said top sections adjacent to abutting edgesthereof, guideways for the trunnions of each of said sections, eachguideway comprising a substantially inverted L-shaped groove, one arm ofeach groove extending vertically and the other arm thereof extendingsubstantially horizontally from its vertical portion toward the sillupon which its respective section rests, whereby the top sections may beslid horizontally on said trunnions toward each other into abuttingrelations, and conversely, a depending flange on the underface of eachtop section adjacent the abutting edges of said sections and formed witha notch, and a laterally extending projection on said supporting meanspositioned to be received in said notch, when said top sections aremoved toward each other in a horizontal position, whereby to limit theinward movement of said sections and to prevent pivotal movement on saidtrunnions.

9. In a table or like structure, a table top and the supporting meanstherefor, said table top including two complemental sections adapted tohave adjacent edges abut, means by which the top sections are mounted onsaid supporting means to slide toward and away from each other, a memberon each of said top section adjacent the abutting edges of said sectionsand formed with a notch, a laterally extending projection on saidsupporting means positioned to be received in said notch, when said topsections are moved toward each other in a horizontal position, wherebyto limit the inward movement of said sections and to prevent lateral ortilting movement of said sections. 7

10. In a table or like structure, a table top and a supporting pedestaltherefor, said table top including two complemental sections adapted tohave adjacent edges abut and each pivotally mounted on said pedestal,means by Whichsaid top sections are mounted to slide on said supportingmeans toward and away from each other, means independently of said lastmentioned means and said pivot for limiting the inward movement of saidsections toward each other and for locking said sections in saidpositions against pivotal movement.

11. In a table or like structure, a tabletop and 115 a supportingpedestal therefor, said table top including two complemental sectionsadapted to have adjacent edges abut and each pivotally mounted on saidpedestal, means by which said top sections are mounted to slidehorizontally on said supporting means toward and away from each otherand to permit the table top section to be moved vertically into saidpedestal, and a downwardly lateral extension on the outer ends of saidsections, means independently of said last mentioned means and saidpivot for limiting the inward movement of said sections toward eachother and for locking said sections in said positions against pivotalmovement. 130

WILLIAM TODD.

